By: Adnan, Enroot 12th grade student

Enroot is celebrating Black History Month! We’ve decided to do something different this year. Everyday of February we will post some facts about places that Black people call home and some stories of Black unsung heroes. These places include Africa and the Caribbean, but also Latin America, where many identify as Black. We are hanging these features on a wall where our staff and students can learn new things every day! This wall will be at our Enroot office and in our offices at Cambridge Rindge and Latin School and at Somerville High School.

It includes people like Barbara C. Jordan - she was the first African American elected to the Texas Senate after Reconstruction. Frederick Douglass escaped slavery and became a national leader of abolitionists. Bessie Coleman was the first licensed African American female pilot. We also learned that more than a million African slaves were brought to Cuba as part of the Atlantic Slave Trade. It is said that 65% of the Cuban population are descendants of slaves. Additionally, Ethiopia was the only country in Africa which never colonized! We are so excited to learn and share more throughout this month in honor of the people and places of Black history.